Congruence of Diagnostic Impressions: Comparing Clinician Diagnosis and Personality Assessment Inventory Diagnostic Categories in an In-Patient Forensic Population

Abstract

The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAl) is a fairly new self-report, objective assessment measure of adult personality. This study compared diagnostic congruence between PAl -informed diagnosis and clinician-established diagnosis. Data from PAl profiles for 69 patients in a mixed-gender forensic population who completed a valid PAl between August 2000 to June 2003 were compared with past, current and discharge patient diagnoses. The hypothesis that PAl-informed diagnoses would be congruent with most clinician-established diagnoses was not supported, with only 37% of diagnoses'. congruent. The hypothesis that the most congruent diagnoses would be diagnoses made closest in time to P AI administration was supported, with the majority of total diagnostic congruence within 90 days oftest administration. Implications of the study are discussed